Sewing machine control mounting



July 22, 1941. M. TAIGMAN 2,249,871

SEWING momma: CONTROL MOUNTING Filed Oct. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR MAX TAIGMAN @Zg w W ATTORNEYS July 22, 1941. M. TAIGMAN SEWING MACHINE CONTROL MOUNTING Filed Oct. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MAX TAIGMAN BY G m ATTQRNEYS Patented July 22, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEWING MACHINE CONTROL MOUNTING Max Taigman, New'York, N. Y.

Application October 14, 1938, Serial No. 235,028 12 Claims. (Cl.192.02)

The invention relates in general to a control mechanism for a motor driven transmission of the type used at present to constitute a sewing machine drive and the present disclosure constitutes a development of and continuation of the invention disclosed in a companion application entitled Sewing machine control, Serial No. 235,027 filed October 14, 1938.

The primary object of the invention in this disclosure, as was the primary object in the disclosure of the companion application, is to provide a simplified, compact, rugged construction for mounting an electric motor and associated sewing machine driving friction clutch in posie tion relative to its component clutch elements and, relative to the control mechanism thereof so that the same may be mounted in accurately prelocated position and to this extent the present disclosure may be considered as another embodiment of the invention disclosed in the companion application.

In suspending an electric motor and associate parts constituting the drive for sewing machines and the like, it is not infrequently happened that the arrangement of the sewing machine on the work table or other support, or the presence of obstacles beneath the table top and other available space limitations, control the most desirable location of the motor and its associated parts. For instance, it is sometimes better to have the motor disposed with its shaft extending lengthwise of the adjacent edge of the work table and at other times it is preferable to extend this shaft at right angles to this table edge.

Accordingly, one of the other objects of this invention is to provide a form of mounting for suspending the motor and associated parts beneath the table in such way that the lengthwise dimensions of the suspended parts may be secured selectively in either one of two positions extending at right angles to each other and may be quickly and easily shifted from one to the other position without necessity of dismounting either the motor nor its associated drive mechanism.

Broadly, this aspect of the disclosure is attained by providing a motor support in two parts, one of which may be secured to the table and on the other of which the motor and control mechanism may be mounted and which parts can be rotated about a vertical axis into either one of two diiferent positions and secured in either one of these positions in such way as to defeat accidental rotation of the motor and associated parts out of either position in which they may be secured during the subsequent operation of the machine drive.

In the companion application there was featured an arrangement in which the foot control rod for actuating the clutch and associated brake was disposed offset to the right side of the construction to permit leg room to the operator seated in front of the sewing machine. This arrangement in some situationsinterferes with either the desired position of the operator or with other mechanism and obstructions, and accordingly, the present disclosure features a structure. which will permit the shifting of this rod considerably to the left of its usual position and as in the illustrated embodiment beneath the center of the driving mechanism herein featured. This shifting of the pedal rod necessitated a redesigning of some of the component parts particularly in the location of the clutch brake which in this modified form is most conveniently located in space provided therefor beneath the clutch rather than above the clutch as in the device illustrated in the companion application.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one form of sewing machine embodying the invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: a

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation andwith parts broken away of an adjustable two-part bracket constituting a preferred embodiment of the mounting feature of the invention and showing a mounting of the motor and associated parts in one of its two operative positions and which motor is shown in dotted outline;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 looking downwardly as shown by the arrows disclosing the motor carry part of the bracket largely in plan and showing one of its positions relative to its companion part or table bracket shown in dotted outline as if looking upwardly from the plane 2-2;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 and showing the component parts of this bracket in one of its several operative positions;

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the right hand portion of the mounting shown in Fig. 1

having mounted thereon an electric motor and associated machine drive and control parts thereof constituting another embodiment of the invention disclosed in the companion application; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the motor carrying bracketpart turned 90 from the position shown inFig. 1.

In the drawings there is disclosed a sewing machine supporting table I adapted to receive a sewin machine (not shown) driven by belt I2 which extends through the table I 0 and is driven from pulley I3 in turn driven from electric motor I4. The motor and associated control unit is carried from a motor bracket I and which motor bracket in the companion application is secured directly to the table I0.

In the present form of mounting, it is formed of two castings, one of which is the bracket I5 and which underlaps the other casting hereinafter referred to as a table bracket IOI and which table bracket is secured to the table I0 by means of bolts I02. The table bracket comprises essentially a long plate I03, asparticularly shown in dotted outline in Fig. 2, provided lengthwise thereof and at the four corners thereof with slots I04 through which are passed the bolts I02 for securing the table bracket to the underside of the table I0. The plate I03 is provided centrally thereof with a depending square-embossment I05 from which depends a frusto-conical boss I06 provided centrally thereof with a bolt hole I01 for receiving the upper end of bolt I02 and within which boss I06 is located nut I00 in threaded engagement with the upper end of the bolt.

The motor bracket I5 includes a relatively wide plate I09 provided with bolt slots III! for receiving bolts 25 which are passed'through the base 24 of the motor I4 and act to secure the motor in an adjustable position lengthwise of the slots IIO. At one edge of the plate I99 there is formed an integral upstanding slotted post 64 resembling the similarly numbered detachable post in the companion application.

Projecting upwardly from the center of the plate I09 in an integral box-like socket termihating in four posts III arranged at the corners of a square and coacting to form a spacingprojection between the plate I09 and the embossment I05. The upper ends of these four posts form in effect the four corners of a square socket. Depending from the underside of the embossment I05 are four equidistantly spaced apart studs II2 which coact to form a projection fitting into the upper end of the socket formed by the four posts I i I as particularly shown in Fig. 2.

'It is noted that these four studs and the four posts in which they fit are equidistantly spaced from the axis of the bolt I02 and the parts are so arranged that by loosening the nut I00 the brackets I5 and IilI may beseparated vertically a distance sufficient to rotate the brackets relative to each other from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 5 and in this and which hub projects slightly beyond the ad-,

jacent end of the shaft I! to provide a cylindrical recess 60. Clutch element I9 is provided on its clutch face with a shallow annular groove II 3 concentric with the axis of rotation of the motor shaft. A friction ring 22 is inserted in the clutch face of element I3 and has its outer exposed face contoured to fit in groove H3 and thus provide a friction drive between clutch elements I9 and I3 when pulley element I3 is moved to the left of the showin in Fig. 4 and thus into its friction clutching engagement to cause the motor to drive the sewing machine.

A control unit or attachment designated 26 as a whole is designed to be mounted upon the bracket I5 so as to permit universal adjustment in all directions of the unit relative to the bracket and thus relative-to the electric motor and its prefixed associated clutch element I9. The unit includes a main supporting frame 3I in the form of a rugged cantilever arm terminating at its upper supported end in a vertically extending wide rugged bar 32. An upstanding horizontally extending side plate 28 forms an extension from the 'main frame beyond the bar 32 and is slidably mounted between the horizontal flanges SI of a channel member 21 and is of some material length so as to resist tendency of the unit to sag relative to its support. The channel member 21 is provided at its front side with a pair of vertically extending guide flanges 62, 63, and within which is positioned the upstanding post 60. The post 64 is provided with a vertically extending slot 68 and there is a horizontally extending slot 99 in the side plate 28. A single nut bolt 86 passes through bolt slots and when in tightened position acts to secure the main frame 3| as a whole in both its vertically and horizontally adjusted positions.

In addition to this gross setting of the main frame 3| relative to bracket I5 it is herein suggested that means be provided for attaining a relatively vertical adjustment of the channel member 21 on the upstanding post 64 and also to provide for a micromically adjustable setting of the frame 3| and associated parts about a horizontal axis and independently of the setting of the slide members 21 and 28 and for this purpose set screws 13 and I4 are utilized all as is more particularly described in the companion application.

The supporting frame 3| projects horizontally from the bar 32 and is downturned to pass the axis prolonged of the motor shaft. The downturned portion is provided intermediate its height with a horizontally extending shaft bearing 15. A clutch element supporting shaft I6 is slidably mounted in the bearing I5 and projects from opposite sides thereof in axial alignment with the motor shaft I1. The combined pulley and coacting clutch element I3 is provided with a hub 2| freely rotatably mounted on shaft 70 and at all times in close juxtaposition to its companion I9. The shaft i0 projects slightly beyond the clutch element i3 and is loosely contained in the recess 60. An end shaft roller bearing H4 is carried by hub 20 and between the same and the adjacent. end of the casing of motor I 4. Another end shaft roller bearing H5 is carried by the stop collar TI and is located between the same and the hub 2| of the shiftable clutch element II3. Where economy of manufacturing costs is a consideration, a pair of fibre washers may be substituted for each of the antifriction mountings H4 and H5. For the same reason the stop collar 11 may be simply a fibre cylinder drilled to receive the spring end 8|. The shiftable clutch element I3 is held from accidentally slippingoff the shaft l6 by means of a stop disc H8 preferably a fibre disc retained in position by cotter pin The main frame 3| is provided on its downturned portion with a boss 34 in which may be mounted a clutch control lever of the form disclosed in the companion application, so as-to position its associated clutch control brake above the clutch rather than below the clutch as in the current showing. The lower end of the main frame 3| forms a depending extension or flange 8 terminating its lower end in a boss 34 in which is mounted a short stub shaft 35. -A long horizontally extending control lever 39 is journaled for rocking movement on the shaft 35. The lever 39 includes a long arm 49 underlapping and located close to the clutch I9 and which forms a brake carrying arm. This arm 40 is provided at its left end with an aperture 4| in which is engaged a depending pull rod 43 leading to a foot pedal (not shown) and by means of which the device may be operated by the foot of the operator as is usual in such constructions. The lever 39 also includes an upstanding clutch controlling arm 44 provided with a replaceable wear plate I99 for engaging against the adjacent protruding end of the shaft 16 to shift the shaft from right to left of the showing in Fig. 4 and thus to cause the shiftable clutch element I3 to be moved into clutching engagement with its companion. The stop collar 1'! fitted on the shaft 16 between the sliding hub 2| and the shaft bearing I normally engaging against the stop face 18 forming the adjacent end of the shaft bearing l5.

The main frame 3| is provided on its inner side with an integral stub 19 and has wrapped about the same the mid portionof a retractile spring 80 formed of a single length of wire. The spring has one end 8| intruded radially through the stop collar 11 and through the axis of the shaft 76. The other end 82 of the spring bears against the hook-like side of the stop lug 83 formed integrally and projecting from one side of the frame 3|. This spring normally acts to shift the shaft l6 towards the right of the showing in Fig, 4 until stop collar 1'! engages against the face 18 provided by the shaft bearing.

Pivoted to a pin 41 carried by the arm 49 is a brake lever 59 having one end underlapping lever 39 and provided with a set screw 5| in bearing engagement with the lever so as to partake of its movement and at the same time to locate brake 52 at its opposite end in adjustable relation to the underside of the smooth cylindrical band, 8!

forming an extension from the pulley l3.

It is known in this art to associate with the combined brake and clutch elements a control for the electric current supplied to the motor so that the pedal actuated rod 43' also intercepts the current supplied to the motor simultaneously with the application of the brake 52 and close the circuit through the motor simultaneously with the closing of the clutch I3. 1 Such an electric control switch is shown by its casing 99 in outline in Fig. 4. In order to accommodate such a control switch, the main frame 3| and particularly the flange I I8 is provided on one side thereof and just below the shaft bearing with a bolt aperture 9 for receiving bolt projecting from the adjacent side of the casing 99. a The casing is also provided on opposite sides of bolt I29 with a pair of integral parallel flanges |2| for receiving therebetween and engaging opposite side edges of the flange l8, thus additionally tending to prevent the casing 99 from rotating about the axis of the bolt I20. It is also suggested that the casing 9|] be provided just below the bolt-|20 with a curved flange I22 which fits over the boss 34 at the lower end of the frame 3| so that the casing is supported directly from a rugged part of the main frame 3|.

The electric switch within the casing 99 includes a spring pressed control plunger 96 projecting upwardly out of the casing and this in turn is actuated from a controlling lever 91 fulcrumed on post 98 projecting upwardly from and forming part of the casing 90. For the purpose of actuating this lever 91 from the pull rod 43, lever 39 is provided at its right end with a lateral extension 99. A reach rod [23 is adjustably connected at opposite ends to extension arm 99 and to lever 9'! to cause them to work in unison with the movement of lever 39.

In operation and referring first to the disclosure in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, it is understood that the motor and associated parts may be shifted from the plane in which they are shown in Fig. 4 into a plane at right angles to that showing. The motor and associated parts, when in the position shown in Fig. 5, are at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 4.

The usual practice in mounting the brackets herein featured is to first determine where on the table or other support it is desirable to locate the motor and associated parts shown in Fig. 4. The mechanic installing the equipment will visually locate the motor where it should be eventually placed and then will determine whether it is best to locate the long table bracket either parallel to the length of the motor axis as in Figs. 1. and 4, or at right angles thereto as in Fig. 5. He will then loosen the nut I98, make the necessary rotative adjustment between the brackets l5 and IM and tighten the nut I98, thus securely locking the brackets to each other. Bracket l0! will then be bolted to the table and the mounting is ready to receive first the motor, then the unit carried by the frame and finally the frame is adjusted to align the motor shaft I! and clutch shaft 16 as more particularly disclosed in the companion application.

To operate the device, the operator presses conventionally on the foot pedal which lowers rod 43, shifts the arm 44 to the left of the showing in Fig. 4 and causes it to bear on the shaft 76 which in turn shifts the stop collar Tl. into bearing engagement with the adjacent end of the hub 2| of the floating clutch element so as to move the same into clutching engagement with its companion |9 on the motor shaft ll. In this way the clutch becomes active and the motor l4 drives the sewing machine through the belt l2. Simultaneously with this action of the lever 39, the brake 52 is lowered slightly out of its clutching engagement with the pulley, or, rather, the lowering of the control arm releases pressure on the brake so that it simply hangs idly approximately in position but without exerting any braking effect. During this shifting of the floating clutch element, tension is stored in the spring 80 so that when the foot pressure is released on the lever 39, the spring tension is available to shift the shaft from its operative clutching position back into its normal inoperative position shown in Fig. 4. At the same time the lowering of the control rod 43 acts through the extension 99 and connecting rod N23 to permit plunger to elevate itself by spring action of the mechanism contained in the casing to close the circuit through the motor.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a table bracket and with a bolt hole, four lugs depending from the bracket equidistantly spaced from the bolt hole and arranged at the corners of a square,'a motor bracket underlapping and supported from the table bracket, said motor bracket provided with a bolt for engaging in said bolt hole and having four upstanding arms coacting to provide a skeleton form of socket for receiving the four lugs of the table bracket when the lugs are insertw in the socket, said brackets being rotatable about the axis of the bolt and associated bolt hole when the lugs are free of the socket to locate the brackets in a plurality of relative positions and a nut engaging the bolt to secure the brackets in any of the positions in which the lugs will fit in the socket.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of adjustable means for suspending a motor and associated control from theunderside of a support, comprising a table bracket provided with means for securing the same to the underside of a support, and a motor bracket underlapping the table bracket and provided with means for suspending therefrom a motor, a driven mechanism and a control therefor, said two brackets provided with coacting non-circular socket and projection elements for locating the brackets selectively in a plurality of relative positions rotative about a vertical axis and fastening means for securing the brackets in any one of said positions thereby to provide for a plurality of'positions of the motor driven mechanism relative to the support.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, a table bracket secured to the underside of the support, a motor bracket suspended from the table bracket, motor driven mechanism carried by the motor bracket and including a clutch and a control for the clutch, said table and motor bracket each provided with a setof four projections disposed at the four corners of a square, said sets movable vertically into either one of two operative positions for selectively setting the brackets relative to each other accurately in either one of said relative positions while resisting the locating of the brackets in any other position and means for securing the brackets together in either one of said positions. V

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of two parts mounted in superposed relation, spacing means between the parts comprising a projection from one of the parts being square in horizontal cross section and the other part provided with a socket into which the projection fits and a bolt extending axially of the projection and socket for securing the parts together in the several possible positions in which the projection may be rotated and then inserted axially into the socket.

5. A mounting for a sewing machine drive comprising two parts mounted in superposed relation, one of said parts provided with means for securing the same in horizontally adjusted position to the underside of a sewing machine support and the other part provided with means for suspending therefrom a sewing machine drive, a non-circular projection from one part fitted into a similar shaped socket in'the other part and means for securing the parts in rotatably adjusted position with the projection coacting with the socket to defeat accidental rotary movement between the parts.

6. A mounting for a sewing machine drive comprising two parts mounted in superposed order for relative rotary movement about a vertical axis, the upper said part provided with means for securing the same to the underside of a sewing machine table or other support and the other part provided with means for supporting an electric motor and also provided with means for supporting thereon a machine drive energized from the motor, and means including a post extending vertically from one of said parts in ide lapping relation to a stud extending vertically from the other part for fixedly securing the parts in one of several relative positions in which they may be rotated about said vertical axis.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main supporting frame provided intermediate its height with a shaft bearing, a clutch controlling shaft slidably mounted in the bearing, a control lever fulcrumed on the lower end of the frame for shifting the shaft, means on the frame between the bearing and the lever fulcrum for receiving a replaceable attachment and said lever provided with a lateral extension adapted to coact with an element of the attachment.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main supporting frame provided with a shaft bearing, a clutch controlling shaft slidable in the bearing, a control lever fulcrumed to the frame below the shaft bearing and provided with an upstanding arm for shifting the shaft, an electric control including a casing demountably secured to the frame and including a plunger and a plunger lever for actuating the plunger, and said control lever provided with means for engaging the plunger lever when the casing is in place on the frame.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of an adjustable frame provided with a shaft bearing and a flange depending therefrom, a clutch controlling shaft slidably mounted in the bearing, a clutchelement carried by the shaft, a replaceable unit. including a mounting member provided with means for positioning the same on the depending flange, and said unit also including a controllever fulcrumed to the depending flange'and provided with an arm for actuating the clutch controlling shaft and a brake lever fulcrumed to the control lever and provided with a brake for engaging the underside of the clutch element.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of an adjustable and vertically extending frame provided with a shaft bearing, also provided with a mounting boss above the bearing and with a mounting element below the bearing, a clutch controlling shaft slidably mounted in the bearing, a clutch element carried by the shaft, a control lever adapted to be fulcrumed selectively either on the boss or the mounting element, said control lever provided with an arm for shift ing the shaft and with a brake for engaging the clutch element, the parts being arranged to cause the brake to engage the upper surface of the clutch element when the control lever is fulcrumed in the boss and to engage the underside of the clutch element when the control lever is mounted on the mounting element.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of an adjustable frame having a control lever fulcrumed to its lower end, a mechanism containing casing provided with a pair of parallel flanges for lapping opposite sides of the frame to defeat accidental rotation of the casing on the frame, a bolt for securing the casing to the frame, and said control lever provided with an arm for actuating the mechanism in the casing.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame provided with a boss, a control lever fuicrumed in the boss, a casing provided with a curved flange fitting over the boss to support the casing from the frame and means for securing the casing to the frame against acci- 5 dental shifting on the same.

MAX TAIGMAN. 

